Bog Hair-grass
Deschampsia setacea
Bog Hair-grass (Deschampsia setacea) is a delicate perennial grass species with fine, hair-like leaves and distinctive feathery seed heads that emerge in late summer. This specialized wetland grass forms small tufts in acidic bog environments and plays a crucial role in stabilizing peat substrates while providing habitat structure for invertebrates and nesting material for bog-dwelling birds.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Alex Press, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Press
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Deschampsia
Bog Hair-grass belongs to the family Poaceae, order Poales, within the Liliopsida class.
Species Profile
Bog Hair-grass (Deschampsia setacea) is a delicate perennial grass species with fine, hair-like leaves and distinctive feathery seed heads that emerge in late summer. This specialized wetland grass forms small tufts in acidic bog environments and plays a crucial role in stabilizing peat substrates while providing habitat structure for invertebrates and nesting material for bog-dwelling birds.
Bog Hair-grass (Deschampsia setacea) is critically endangered due to severe habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. The species is restricted to very few locations in acidic bogs and wet heathlands, making it extremely vulnerable to drainage, agricultural conversion, and changes in water levels.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Bog Hair-grass is restricted to acidic sphagnum bogs and wet heathlands with consistently waterlogged, nutrient-poor soils. It typically occurs in areas with pH levels below 4.5 where groundwater seepage maintains year-round moisture and creates the specialized chemical conditions necessary for its survival.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Bog Hair-grass (Deschampsia setacea) is critically endangered due to severe habitat loss and degradation of its specialized wetland environments. The species is restricted to very few locations in acidic bogs and wet heathlands, making it extremely vulnerable to drainage, agricultural conversion, and changes in water levels.
Agricultural conversion and land use change
Habitat drainage and water level changes
Peat extraction
Climate change affecting bog hydrology
Eutrophication from agricultural runoff
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Bog Hair-grass (Deschampsia setacea). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bog-hair-grass